Sunday

WESTBOROUGH — A falcon whose 78-year-old owner was rescued from Cedar Swamp earlier this week has been found and is recovering from its ordeal.

Firefighter Mark Boyer was found the large white gyrfalcon that had been on the loose since Thursday when it flew off after a duck.

Bill Johnston of Upton, the bird's owner and a master falconer, had pursued the bird he was tracking with GPS, but fell through the ice in the swamp. He had difficulty getting out of the swamp's frozen mud and used his cell phone to call for help.

Master falconer grateful after Westborough swamp rescue

Boyer, who had assisted in the rescue of Johnston, continued to look for the falcon on his own time. The bird is worth a reported $20,000.

"I was, like, armpit-deep in swamp water, so I was eye to eye with the bird at the time," Boyer said. "So, I'm (thinking) this is going to go one of two ways. It's going to be a nice reunion, or she's going to get the better half of me. Luckily, it all worked out."

Using a GPS, he was able to track down the missing bird.

Johnston, told WCVB that his bird was attacked by a red-tailed hawk in the woods and her right eye was nearly scratched out.

Once it was recovered, the gyrfalcon was taken to Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University in Grafton for treatment. Her right eye is currently closed shut, but she is expected to be OK and has been sent home to continue her recovery.

Johnston said he's had the falcon, who is named Fiona, since she was 3 weeks old. She is now 15 years old.

"It's phenomenal," Johnston said. "I'm old and cynical, (but) it's changed my whole attitude. I'm no longer as cynical. I've had an epiphany. There are so many good people out there, and these Westborough firefighters, they're saints!"